5 Must Read Articles By Charles Poliquin Please scroll down to read
.1.Poliquin's Top 10 Carb Intake Rules for Optimal Body Composition 2.Fast Results with Fish Oil 3.The Meat and Nut Breakfast
4.Vitamin D3: Best...Supplement...Ever! 5.The Advantages and Disadvantages of Low Carb Nutrition
1.Poliquin's Top 10 Carb Intake Rules for Optimal Body Composition
1. Elimate grains, particularly wheat. This is the most important principle regarding carb intake. Wheat influences blood sugar levels the same way as plain table sugar.
2. Yes, eliminate grains, Part II: Gliadin family grains such as oats, wheat, spelt are the most common food allergen. People of the Celtic ancestry, like the Irish, are more likely to be gluten allergic. Besides raising insulin levels in the body and their rapid carb intake, grains also release cortisol in response to the stressor, than a food allergen is.
3. The main source of carbs should be fibrous. Fibrous carbs typically have very low carb content. Their inherent high fiber brings about a very moderate insulin response, thus making them an ideal fat loss food. The best sources of fibrous carbs include :
- Broccoli
- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Mushrooms
- Green beans
- Onions
- Asparagus
- Cucumber
- Spinach
- All forms of peppers
- Zucchini
- Cauliflower
4. The darker the fruit, the better it is for you. Dark fruits tend to have very thin skin, (hence they need to produce more anti-oxidants to protect themselves from the sun). That is why darker fruits are great anti-inflammatory foods. Bananas have thick skins therefore they have lower anti-oxidants contents.
5. The darker the fruit, the better it is for you, part II. The darker the fruit, the lower the glycemic load. Again, compare berries, and cherries to bananas and pineapple. Of course, this applies to fruits in their natural state; when grapes become raisins, their glycemic index goes up because of dehydration of the fruit.
6. Replace grains with greens in sandwiches. This one is promoted by Jonny Bowden, author Living The Low Carb Life: Instead of using bread, use dark leafy greens to wrap the meat. It will slow down the glycemic index and help shift in your favor the acid/alkaline base.
7. Limit fructose intake. Even though fruits are great foods loaded with nutrients, they also contain fructose. Fructose in too high quantities can slow down thyroid function and increase glycation. Glycation in layman's term is browning, like the browning that makes crust in bread. Glycation is the cross linking of proteins (and DNA molecules) caused by sugar aldehydes reacting with the amino acids on the protein molecule and creating Advance Glycosylation End-products (AGE's). If you want to see protein cross linking in action, cut an apple in half and watch it turn yellow! Very few people realize that glucose can go through oxidation. Why is the worst glycation agent fructose? Because it does not raise insulin. In other words, the insulin is not getting it into muscle cells. Therefore, it lingers around and wreaks metabolic havoc. As nutrition expert Robert Crayhon would say: fructose is like the guest that won't go home once the party is over. Crayhon recommends that the average American should eat no more than 5-10 grams of fructose a day! For very active individuals, 20 grams of fructose should be the maximum intake.
One of the worst sources of glycating fructose are the weight loss bars containing high fructose corn syrup, like the ones sold by a famous Texan verbally abusive lawyer turned weight loss guru.
To check for glycation levels, ask your doctor to measure the concentration of glycated hemoglobin in your blood. In England, a study revealed that this is one of the best measured tests able to predict mortality. Far better than cholesterol, blood pressure and body mass index.
8. The best time to load up in carbs is the first 10 minutes following your workout. Since insulin sensitivity is at its highest after the workout, this is the time to take in your carbs to maximize muscle mass gains. Originally based on the research that was available at the time, I typically recommended 2 g/Kg of bodyweight. Over the years, after being exposed to more research and discussing it with my colleagues, I have come to the conclusion that it should be a reflection of the training volume for the training session. The greater the number of reps per training unit, the greater the carbohydrate intake. Of course, one can assume that all reps are equal. A squatting or deadlifting rep is more demanding than a curling or triceps extension rep. By the same token, 3 reps slow tempo squats has different caloric demand than 3 reps in the power clean. As a general rule, I would recommend the following carbohydrate intake based on training volume for a given workout:
* 12-72 reps per workout : 0.6 g/Kg/LBM
* 73-200 reps per workout : 0.8 g/kg/LBM
* 200-360 reps per workout : 1.0 g/kg/LBM
* 360-450 reps per workout : 1.2 g/kg/LBM
Regarding the source of carbohydrates post-workout, I have experimented with various sources, I like using fruit juices with a high glycemic index (i.e. pineapple, grape) to provide 30-40% of the carbs, the rest of the carbs coming from carb powders ranging from dextrose to various types of malto-dextrin. For variety sake, I will use different types of juice like a berry blend. You can also any type of mushy fruit like bananas or peaches. For seriously underweight athletes, I may use pineapple and/or corn flakes to drive the glycemic index upwards. Instead of using maltodextrin, you can also use dessicated honey.
9. Use insulin sensitivity supplements with high-carb post workout meals. Nutrients like taurine, arginine, magnesium, R-form alpha lipoic acid etc.. will help dispose of glucose to muscle cells instead of fat cells.
10. Add protein to your post-workout carb intake. Using 15 g of protein for every 50 lbs of bodyweight, will increase glycogen storage by as much as 40%.
2.Fast Results with Fish Oil
A look at the latest research about what fish oil can do for you NOW!
If you’ve been living under a rock for the past 40 years, you may not have heard the news: Fish oil is good for you. In fact, it’s one of the most beneficial supplements you can take because it influences so many aspects of heath and athletic performance. It has been well established, for example, in functional medicine research that supplemental fish oil offers benefits that range from neurological health to cardiovascular health to skin and eye health…well, you get the idea. But there’s much more to this story.
Most of the fish-oil studies have only looked at the long-term benefits of the essential oils EPA and DHA. While the beneficial results have been quite conclusive, within the past couple of years the acute effects of fish oil have finally begun to be brought to light. Most notably, these studies have focused on arterial stiffness and other measures of vascular function. As functional medicine expert Dr. Mark Houston lectured in his recent seminar on cardiovascular health at the Poliquin Strength Institute, these findings may impact clients who are concerned with both cardiovascular health and athletic performance.
The most recent study of note was just reported online in the March 2010 Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In this study, researchers in the UK tested 25 individuals for the short-term effects of adding 4.7 grams of EPA and DHA to a medium-fat meal. They found a reduction in post-prandial arterial stiffness – not within days or weeks, but within four hours or less! From a technical standpoint, the researchers suggested that this may have been due to an increase in a known vasodilator called nitric oxide (NO) that improves blood flow.1
Another study (from 2008) showed similar findings, that is, increases in endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), an enzyme that is used to produce nitric oxide.2 These results correlated with the 2010 study by studying the four-hour effects of adding EPA and DHA to a fatty meal. And a study published in the Journal of Nutrition in February 2008 by researchers from King’s College in London also found reductions in a stiffness index blood marker at six hours post-prandial.3
What does all this mean for heart health and athletes? For heart health, an increase in vasodilation is typically associated with a lowering of blood pressure. Blood pressure is an independent risk factor for heart attack, meaning that even if everything else looks good, if you have high blood pressure you are at an increased risk for a heart attack. High blood pressure also can affect the health of organs such as the brain, eyes and kidneys. There also may be implications related to atherosclerosis, blood clotting and even angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels).
On the performance side, most athletes have become aware of the benefits of nitric oxide as it relates to “the pump” and improved blood flow to working muscles. But the use of fish oil taken preworkout is a new concept. Interestingly, it’s been known for a long time that high-fat meals (with no omega-3s) increase arterial stiffness, so fish oil has been shown to not only reverse this effect but also improve vasodilation above baseline.
Based on research such as this and recent findings in the gym, I would recommend taking 7 to 10 EPA-DHA 720 Blend softgels with your preworkout meal. The evidence is clear – start taking fish oil now!
References
1 Chong MF, Lockyer S, Saunders CJ, Lovegrove JA. Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition and Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK. Long chain n-3 PUFA-rich meal reduced postprandial measures of arterial stiffness. Clin Nutr. 2010 Mar 1.
2 Armah CK, Jackson KG, Doman I, James L, Cheghani F, Minihane AM. Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, Department of Food Biosciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK. Fish oil fatty acids improve postprandial vascular reactivity in healthy men. Clin Sci (Lond). 2008 Jun;114(11):679-86.
3 Hall WL, Sanders KA, Sanders TA, Chowienczyk PJ. Nutritional Sciences Division, School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH UK. A high-fat meal enriched with eicosapentaenoic acid reduces postprandial arterial stiffness measured by digital volume pulse analysis in healthy men. J Nutr. 2008 Feb;138(2):287-91.
3.The Meat and Nut Breakfast
The rotating meat and nuts breakfast for optimal body composition
When people ask me for the best single dietary tip of optimal leanness, energy and sustained mental focus, I invariably tell them to try the rotating meat and nuts breakfast. Clients ranging from NHL & NFL stars to corporate executives, rave about the increased mental acuity and focused energy they derive from this food combination. The meat allows for a slow and steady rise in blood sugar. The nuts provide a great source of healthy smart fats that allows the blood sugar to remain stable for an extended period of time.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. My seminar hosts are well made aware of it. It is a non-negotiable item. I am very grateful to have hosts all over the World that cater to my breakfast needs. My Dominican host Juan Carlos Simo always comes by the hotel with a kick ass breakfast. The best salmon I have ever had. Mats and Helen in Sweden bring me elk for breakfast.
What you eat for breakfast sets up your entire neurotransmitter production for the day.
If for some reason there is no host, lets say I am giving a seminar at a location I am not familiar, I always pre-scout where the best breakfast is served and simply choose steak and eggs, or a salmon omelet, or lox and poached eggs.
It is quite funny sometimes to see the reaction of the hotel staff when I ask for meat in the morning. For example in Tuscany, when I asked the chef for meat for breakfast, he had a look on his face like if I asked him to point in the right direction for the tunnel that links Rome to Oslo.
Multiple studies on employee productivity or on children’s attention patterns have demonstrated that a high protein breakfast does not only impact on the energy and productivity levels of morning till noon, but extended its positive way in the late afternoon.
Here a sample 5 day rotation of the meat/nuts breakfast. It goes without saying that you DO NOT ADD ANYTHING TO IT in terms of food or beverage.
Tea, coffee or herbal infusions are permissible, Milk and juice or other liquids are not allowed.
Day 1
• 1-2 Buffalo meat patties
• 1 handful of macadamia nuts
Day 2
• 1 large venison steak
• 1 handful of cashew nuts
Day 3
• 1-2 Lean turkey burgers
• 1 handful of almonds
Day 4
• 2 lean ground beef patties
• 1 handful of brazil nuts
Day 5
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 handful of hazelnuts
One of the other advantages of this system is that is reduces the development of food sensitivities which are known to increase cortisol in people. More than often enough, when we test first time clients for food sensitivities we find that they have antibodies to the food they have consumed on a daily for years. That is even more true in bodybuilders, it not uncommon to see them have allergies to beef, eggs, whey, casein, tuna and oatmeal, the basic bodybuilding staples.
What about if you are allergic to nuts?
I then recommend you a portion of the following low glycemic/low fructose fruits with your breakfast:
apricot
avocado
blackberries
blueberries
grapefruit
loganberries
nectarines
olives
papaya
peach
plum
raspberries
strawberries
Make sure that the fruits are organic, especially the strawberries, as they are one of the most sprayed crops in the World.
After breakfast, I recommend to use a teaspoon to a tablespoon of quality fish oil to mitigate even more the insulin response. That will insure top level concentration till your next meal.
4.Vitamin D3: Best...Supplement...Ever!
The facts about one of the greatest discoveries in functional medicine
An osteopathic physician recently asked me, “What’s with all this hype over vitamin D3?” It was a good question. There have been countless supplements, especially in the field of bodybuilding, that have failed to live up to their promises. I remember when the next big things were AKG, vanadyl sulfate and boron (which, incidentally, is the primary ingredient in 20 Mule Team Borax!). But vitamin D3 is the real deal. Write this down:
“Vitamin D3 may be the single most important supplement we can take for our health.”
I’m serious! Fish oil also has amazing properties, but it takes a backseat to vitamin D3. Listen, I get a lot of feedback from the field. I hear from experts from all over the world. There is consensus among the best practitioners: They have verified over and over that just about everyone is deficient in vitamin D3 and that supplementation is essential.
The evidence is indisputable. The scientific literature is overwhelmed with data that confirm what all these experts have seen. I see the truth of it every day and have been teaching about the importance of vitamin D3 supplementation for some time now. The bottom line is that virtually every disease and adverse health condition is associated with low vitamin D3 levels. Consequently, many of these problems may be fixed with adequate vitamin D3 supplementation, or can be avoided by keeping vitamin D3 levels in the high normal range.
For a long time vitamin D3 was simply regarded as the anti-rickets and bone health vitamin – an underwhelming bit of knowledge. Because it was originally labeled as a vitamin, it was assumed that it wasn’t that important. Now it is more properly recognized as a prohormone that is essential to life. Even if it were only good for bone health, vitamin D3 still would be an important supplement, but the benefits go way beyond just bone health.
Let’s look at this in another way. What if a big pharmaceutical company made a revolutionary breakthrough and announced they had come across a compound so important that it could improve the lives of virtually everyone in the world? What if they told us that for less than 20 cents a day (or about 0.15 Euro) we could significantly reduce our risk for some of the most widespread diseases? What if they also announced that the side effects were actually good and that we would receive all these benefits without any real risk of adverse conditions? And that we wouldn’t even need governmental intervention to make it affordable? The answer is that this would be the biggest blockbuster drug ever to hit the market. Everyone would want a prescription and wouldn’t even mind paying for it themselves.
I’d like you to consider some of the research and benefits and make your own decision. Don’t just skim this; read through it and understand what’s being said in the research. The two best sources I’ve found have compiled a tremendous amount of research and information: www.vitamindcouncil.org (click on “research” on the left and you will be amazed) and www.vitamindhealth.org (Dr. Michael Holick’s website). But to get you started, here are some excellent, peer-reviewed articles.
1. Rickets, bone density, osteoporosis, osteopenia, osteomalacia: Low levels of vitamin D contribute to osteopenia and fractures. JAMA. 2002;287:3127-3129.
2. Fetal brain development and maternal health: Med Hypotheses. 2010 Jan;74(1):71-5. Epub 2009 Aug 18.
3. Psoriasis: “Hyperproliferative skin disorders such as psoriasis might be responsive to treatment with vitamin D....” “[Treatment with vitamin D] …showed great improvement in reducing the severity and area of psoriatic lesions.” Holick, MF. High prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy and implications for health. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2006 Mar;81(3):353-73.
4. Cancer: “Both prospective and retrospective epidemiologic studies indicate that levels of 25-OH D below 20 ng [nanograms] per milliliter are associated with a 30 to 50% increased risk of incident colon, prostate, and breast cancer, along with higher mortality from these cancers....” “Vitamin D either directly or indirectly controls more than 200 genes, including genes responsible for the regulation of cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis.” Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81.
5. Blood sugar regulation and insulin resistance: “Vitamin D deficiency increased insulin resistance, decreased insulin production, and was associated with the metabolic syndrome.” Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81.
6. Depression and other neurological concerns: “Several studies suggest an association between hypovitaminosis D and basic and executive cognitive functions, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.” Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2009 Feb;11(1):12-9.
7. Multiple Sclerosis: “High circulating levels of vitamin D are associated with a lower risk of multiple sclerosis.” JAMA. 2006;296:2832.
8. Immune function: “When serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D fall below 20 ng per milliliter, the monocyte or macrophage is prevented from initiating this innate immune response” Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81.
9. Cold, flu, and respiratory tract infection: shortened duration of symptoms in study of African women.
10. Symptoms associated with autoimmune conditions: Vitamin D deficiency affects the immune system’s capacity to self-regulate and can therefore lead to tissue damage via overproduction of potentially pathogenic cytokines.
11. Hypertension and congestive heart failure: “In a study of patients with hypertension who were exposed to ultraviolet B radiation three times a week for 3 months, 25-OH D levels increased by approximately 180% and blood pressure became normal.” “Vitamin D deficiency is associated with congestive heart failure.” Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81.
12. Muscle mass and strength: “Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle weakness.” “Performance speed and proximal muscle strength were markedly improved when 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels increase from 4 to 16 ng per milliliter (10 to 40 nmol [nanomole] per liter) and continued to improve as the levels increase to more than 40ng per milliliter (100 nmol per liter). Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81.
13. Weight Loss: “For every increase of 1 ng/mL in level of 25-OH D3, subjects ended up losing almost 0.2 kg more on their calorie-restricted diet.” Shalamar Sibley, prepublication report for the Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting.
14. And even longevity, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, thyroid conditions…
...and this just scratches the surface of the research!
Now the question becomes “How do I get my vitamin D3 to optimal levels?” This is the best part, since it’s very easy to fix vitamin D3 deficiency. There are a couple of different approaches that have been shown to work very well. One way is to just supplement with 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 every day and it’s likely your levels will be at least in the normal range within about three months, but remember, high normal is better than mid normal. Expect it to take another couple of months to reach high normal.
Another approach, which I prefer, is to supplement twice per week with about 30,000 to 100,000 IU of D3. Based on the research and clinical evidence, this method seems to accelerate the increase in blood levels of 25(OH) D3 (the marker that should be tested for). Although the kidneys still need to convert 25(OH) D3 into 1.25(OH)2 D3, the relevant lab value is 25(OH) D3. You should be shooting to get your levels between 80 and 100 ng/mL.
Now let’s go back to our “what if” scenario and ask the question again: What if there were one natural supplement that had been shown in scientific research to improve bone health, improve the development of babies’ brains, reduce the incidence of skin problems like psoriasis, prevent or remedy multiple sclerosis, reduce the risk of cancer, improve blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance, improve neurological conditions including depression and bipolar disorder, enhance immune defense against cold, flu and other infections, lower blood pressure and protect the heart, improve muscle function, increase the ability to lose bodyfat and even help people live longer? What if that compound existed and could be manufactured properly at a very affordable price? I’m happy to give you an answer that is not hypothetical and that you can believe: Vitamin D3 is, literally, the best supplement ever!
5.The Advantages and Disadvantages of Low Carb Nutrition
What are some advantages and disadvantages of a low carb nutrition approach?
There are some many advantages to low carb nutrition, that is why I tend to use it in about 75% of my clients. But it is not for everybody, some genotypes do very poorly on it, and the extent of how badly they do on it is a function of the time they are on it. Before you look at the advantages and disadvantages, as Jonny Bowden would say” You need to approach your fat loss system like you should approach relationships: Daily attention. Nurturing, support, crisis management, intervention, focus, attention, consciousness and mindfulness. It requires good negotiation skills. All the things we don't tend to have when it comes to food.”
Advantages
It promotes muscle gains while reducing fat stores
I am not a believer in the bulk-up/get lean approach in hypertrophy training. For 75% of the population, I strongly believe that if you want to gain lean body mass while losing fat, the low carb approach will do it better than anything, especially if you are takings supplements than enhance insulin sensitivity. Because insulin sensitivity tends to improve on low carb diets, fat loss is more sustained with this approach.
It is a very valuable in treating dyslipidemia
Low carb diets are particularly effective at reducing triglycerides and VLDL. It has a significant effect also on reducing LDL. Its effects on raising the good forms of cholesterol is not as drastic. But overall, it improves the HDL:LDL ratio in a manner that significantly reduces cardiovascular risk.
It reduces inflammation
Many patients will report reduced joint pain while following a low carb diet. High insulin levels are correlated with inflammation markers. Since the insulin output is lower with low carb diets. Another cardiovascular risk marker, Hs-CRP goes down faster than a cheerleader’s panties at the high school prom night, when a low carb diet is followed.
Improved glycemia and insulin levels
Blood sugar management is probably on the biggest benefits of low carb diets. 68% of American are pre-diabetic. Insulin is the hormone of ageing and inflammation. Managing insulin is one of the best ways to promote healthy long living. An added benefit of improving glycemia is reduce mood swings and lowered likelihood of engaging in food binges.
Lowered blood pressure
Because low carb diets reduce inflammation, improved blood pressure is a direct benefit of low carb dieting.
Greater energy
Before all the armchair experts lash out and rush out to burn Canadian embassies, hear me out. Greater energy is indeed a very common report of low carb dieters. Psychometric tests always report greater well being of the patient after this dietary approach. It probably has more to do with the better management of one’s glycemia. As Robert Crayhon says, you want more energy, take care of your mitochondrias. Lower insulin levels help with mitochondrias energy producing capacities.
Disadvantages
The low carb nutrition tends to be bland
However, there are plenty of resources such as books like Living the Low Carb Life by Jonny Bowden that provide you with a wealth of cooking tips (www.jonnybowden.com)
Food prep time is greater
Since the meat content is greater, more time is needed to prepare the food. As simple as cooking a steak takes more time than making a sandwich. But again, there are solutions. If you use salad instead of the pita, you can do low carb wraps in a flash.
Constipation is often an issue
That can be off-set by taking in a mixture of ground flax seed hulls and ground fenugreek seeds first thing in the morning, besides providing the body with many forms of fibers, it detoxifies xeno-estrogens and improves insulin sensitivity.
Possible nutrients deficiencies
Because one abstains from certain foods, I recommend to all my patients to take a quality broad nutrient multi-vitamin supplements. This goes along with a varied plan of anti-oxidants that changes every 8 days. I basically change the nature of multi-anti-oxidant products. To make it simple, I change the color of the anti-oxidants. For example, the first product may have 5-6 flavonoids like limonene (so the base color is yellow), the next 8 days, we switch to purple so we use a formula that have grape seed extract, bilberry etc.
